Pro Kavals

These are the instruments I make for players who need a kaval that holds up in performance: even across all four registers, stable once it is warm, and in tune against a reference from the lowest note to the top of the third octave.

What makes a kaval professional tier

Three things, and only one of them is the wood. The bore and the placement of the tone holes decide whether an instrument is genuinely chromatic or only comfortable in a couple of keys. The wood has to be dense and stable enough to hold that bore for years. And then there is the tuning, which is the slow part and the part nobody sees. Every kaval on this page is turned by master kaval maker Biser Vasilev, and I play, tune and approve each one myself before it ships. None of them leaves until it plays in tune across its whole range.

The woods

Cornelian cherry is the traditional Bulgarian wood and still the reference point for the sound most players have in their head. Ebony and grenadilla are the densest, with a focused, projecting tone that carries in an ensemble. Cocobolo, bubinga and wenge sit between the two, each with its own colour. There is no single best wood, only the one that suits how you play and what you play with.

Keys

Most players want the kaval in D, which is the standard for Bulgarian repertoire and the key every teaching method assumes. C and B flat are available for players who need them for a specific ensemble or a lower voice.

Buying direct

Every instrument here is turned by hand and then played, tuned and approved by me before it ships, so what you order is an instrument I have had in my hands. If you are not sure which model or which key suits you, write to me before you buy and tell me what you play. I would rather send you the right instrument than the expensive one.

Prices

Professional wooden kavals run from 370 to 810 EUR depending on the wood and the key. D is the base price; C, B flat and A are made to order in two to three weeks. Free DHL Express shipping worldwide over 150 EUR.